THE fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was the embodiment of the legacy he wants to leave to every Filipino when he steps down in 2022, which is to have a comfortable life.
It contained an enumeration of things he plans to do for the remaining three years of his term, which include laws that he wants Congress to pass.
He vowed to continue his campaign to clean the environment, something that he started in Boracay and Manila Bay. He promised to harmonize government efforts in attaining national development and security through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and through further support to the Bangsamoro Transition. He made a commitment to streamline government systems to deliver services without delay and within a short timeline. He ordered government agencies to improve efficiency by simplifying and automating transactions. Specifically, he told them to reduce processing time of documents to three days.
He urged local government units (LGUs) and the MMDA to undertake immediate action to ensure the speedy and smooth flow of vehicular traffic. He promised to invest in the countryside through agricultural modernization programs to increase the productivity and income of farmers and fisherfolk. He vowed to ensure the full implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law, particularly the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund to protect local farmers from its adverse effects.
In order to ensure the success of his legacy of a comfortable life for every Filipino, the President asked Congress to pass several pieces of legislation.
He urged the creation of the National Academy of Sports for high school students. He recommended for the legislation of additional benefits for solo parents, the assignment of health workers in all barangay, and the expansion of Malasakit Centers.
He urged for the passage of the second package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, or the Trabaho bill, and of a new version of the Salary Standardization Law to include pay hikes for teachers and nurses. He asked for the raising of excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol to help curb addiction.
The President asked Congress to postpone the May 2020 barangay elections to October 2022 to rectify the truncated terms of barangay officials. He also urged Congress to pass the Government Rightsizing bill. He asked for the establishment of a Department of Disaster Resilience, and a Department of Water Resources and a Water Regulatory Commission. He cited the need to pass a law mandating a Fire Protection modernization program. And one of the most applauded portions of his SONA was when he asked Congress to urgently pass the National Land Use Act, which he considered an indispensable requirement to enable a science-based national land-use plan that would serve as the basis for the LGUs to design their own development plans.
The President also batted for the urgent utilization of the coconut levy funds and asked Congress to pass a law that would establish a Coconut Farmer’s Trust Fund. He urged Congress to pass enabling laws to fast-track the development of renewable energy sources, and reduce our dependence on traditional energy sources such as coal. Finally, he asked Congress to pass the National Defense Act; the Unified Military and Uniformed Personnel Separation, Retirement and Pension bill; and the law that would revive ROTC as a mandatory requirement in Grades 11 and 12.
One of the most enduring attributes of the President is his readiness to admit his mistakes, and his willingness to own up to his flaws. He boldly took responsibility for the apparent failure to totally eradicate corruption and the drug problem, contrary to what he promised. However, instead of taking this as a sign to recalibrate and look for alternative ways, the President appeared to have doubled down on his strategy. He is now asking Congress to pass a law that would impose the death penalty for heinous crimes related to drugs, and even for plunder. Legislators, and the Ombudsman, have voiced their reservations on imposing the capital punishment for plunder. And while there is an agreement that imposing the death penalty is easier to pass, the issue remains if it would help curb the drug trade. Scientific studies have shown that it doesn’t. In fact, the threat of death already exists, as seen in 6,600 who have died during police operations, and yet this is not enough to create fear among drug pushers and traders.
Another area where the President has maintained his position is on the issue of China. He is doubling down on his war narrative, and his preference to accommodate China’s assertions, contrary to the arbitral ruling which he himself acknowledges. While it is certainly significant that the President forcefully asserted our ownership of the West Philippine Sea, his promise that he will raise it in due time remains hopeful, at best. The realist theory of international politics talks not about friendship, but about interests. The President’s representation of China paints for us a country that will not subordinate its interests to mere friendship. Hence, it is not reassuring that we should bank on our friendliness towards China as the one that will make it change its mind when the time comes for the President to finally raise the issue of our ownership over what China claims.
What is troubling is that the President’s doubling down on China is even based on inaccuracies. He made it appear that China is already in possession of the West Philippine Sea, when the truth of the matter is that it is only in control of seven geographical features, and not of any portion within our EEZ.
Indeed, the President’s SONA is full of measures that if realized would really enable the attainment of his legacy of ensuring a comfortable life for all of us, if only he can revisit those things that warrant a recalibration away from the easier and more convenient, but not necessarily the most effective.
https://www.manilatimes.net/weighing-the-sona/589450/
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